


Different

by PetitAmour



Category: Planet of the Apes (Games), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Friendship/Love, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Reader-Insert, Tola lives but he's still the worst, semi-minor character loving, tfw a simple one shot get out of hand, went into a more safe way than initially thought
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25526866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetitAmour/pseuds/PetitAmour
Summary: “Different.” he said breathlessly.His hazel eyes crinkled, the brown of them glistening in the low-light emanating from the fire nearby; you would come to love that face, wanting to see it everyday to know he was happy.“What do you mean?” You tilted your head to emphasize the question.He never did explain further, only repeating himself in a whisper.“Different."
Relationships: Female reader/Juno, Juno/Reader
Kudos: 9





	Different

It’s Juno you spend much of your time with after the battle against those soldiers. You sum it up to him being there when you were captured by the apes alongside Mark. Beside Mark you were spared for a trade off for the tribe’s wisest member, Clarence. It was there you sat in a corner of what the ape’s had built as a home, guarded by a few of them so you would not run off. That is when you spotted the one with an arm held close to them. He had stared, but quickly turned his eyes away a second after your gazes met. He did not move away though, pacing around as if he were a second wall to keep you trapped. And like he had, you stared too, trying to understand why he was holding his arm as if it were in an invisible sling. 

You had turned to whisper to Mark, who was still trying to calm his racing heart by laying against the wall.

“That one has a broken arm?”

He lazily rolled his head onto his shoulder, looking where you were. “You need glasses, there’s something up with his arm.”

“So it’s not broken?”

“No, it looks….wrong.”

You were a healer as much as you could be. Maria had taken you under her wing, training you in what she knew. She taught you to help whoever you could, and you took that lesson to heart -- much to her chagrin. So when you spotted the ape looking like he had a wound, your healer’s nature kicked in. Ape or human, being kind did not hurt, and who knew, maybe being nice would help you get out of imprisonment.

You must have been staring for awfully long, because one of the apes guarding the area hooted angrily at you. Scared, you turned to them, only to be pushed into a corner by a large, rough hand.

“Stop staring!”

“But, if he’s hurt I --”

“Prince not hurt, he is fine! Mind your business!”

Whether or not that was his name, you turned back to see him looking with wide-eye towards you. He pulled his arm closer and brought the other to shield it away.

“I’m sorry….” You directed it mainly at him, but he possibly did not hear. He walked away, head hanging down. You regretted what you did, realizing then you had hurt his feelings.

Ape or human, you knew better than to stare.

Hours later with no sign of the one they called Bryn in sight you were met again with the same ape you had hurt. In his good hand was a gourd, the sound of it’s contents sloshing as he hobbled closer.

“Go rest, I’ll watch.”

The guarding ape took a moment, eyeing the smaller one up and down, but nodded. “Fine, but take gun.” And he removed the one from their back b to sling over the other, then went off. Leaving only you with him -- Mark having passed out not long ago, tired from all the adrenaline in his veins.

You looked to the ape, then to the gourd, and finally to the ground. You didn’t want to embarrass him again, especially as you took in his appearance. Compared to the other apes this one was scrawnier, as if he had not eaten well in years; his fingertips were scattered with a black-hue with one or two fingers not at all splotched with the color; and his eyes...were they always so frantic?

“Here.” He shoved the item under your eyes so you would see.

Wondering why he offered you it, you remembered complaining about being thirsty to Mark before he knocked out. Raising your eyes to meet the ape’s, you nodded and uttered a small thanks. You took a giant gulp of chilled water and ended with a heavy, satisfied sigh. 

“Uhhmm…” You began, tracing your thumb over the gourd’s rim. “I’m sorry about before.”

“I know.”   
“Oh, so you did hear…Yeah...I didn’t mean to upset you…”

This was horribly awkward. He was keeping a clear distance between the two of you, antsy in his spot. He kept trying to avoid looking at you straight on too, good hand fiddling with his bad one. You were apologizing, but you did not feel any better. You did not mind though, having decided what you had done was wrong. He did not need to forgive you, he had every right to not want to be near you either.

And somewhere in the back of your head, you knew you had no reason to apologize to an ape who had attacked your home not a few hours ago. Yet here you were, ignoring that fact.

“Don’t like humans.” Was all he said, taking little steps as if he were going to get farther away from you. 

“Hurt family...killed my mother.” 

Part of you questioned why he was telling you that, but another part understood. He’s been hurt, not physically, but mentally, and that was a wound you could not heal so easily. As the only human near -- awake -- you were perfect for venting at and to. You brought it upon yourself after trying to show you were kind with slight ulterior reasons.

“Thats horrible, I’m sorry.” You were earnest, not only trying to be nice, but honestly feeling for him. It hits close to home.

“I lost...people I cared about too. Soldiers found us on our way up here, tried to take us into their care...A lot of us didn’t want to, so they tried to take us prisoner...but I knew better.”

There were not many of you back in your old group, but that never mattered. It was so hard to find trustworthy companions in this apocalypse, you had wanted to believe all of you would stay together and find somewhere to settle. Those soldiers had come out of nowhere, gave you food and solid shelter after so many weeks of traveling on foot, then they showed their true colors. They had eyed the women in your group, and they’re goal was to keep the human race alive; they had scant women of their own and it had been so long since they had returned to their base. You had run alongside your best friend, under all the gunfire and screams...your friend hadn’t survived, and only a handful of others had made it out with you.

Even then you did not have high hopes of staying with this current town. 

“Humans are bastards…but some are ok...You didn’t deserve to lose your mother…” You trailed off, unsure what else to say. Already it felt like you were rambling.

He shifted his weight from one hip to the other. He was so anxious around you, it had not felt right to keep him there any longer. With a raise of your head to tell him he should call another guard to change shifts, you were met with his torso in front of you. Ape and human eyes met again, watching as he looked at you, then to his arm, and your gaze followed.

“Bad arm, did not grow right...weak…” 

You inferred what he meant, and after a better look over it you concluded it was deformed. His mother may have suffered from malnutrition when she was pregnant, or maybe there had been something in his genes that caused it. Either way you could not help him and now you felt even worse about earlier.

“Fuck, I really made a fool of myself. I’m so sorry about staring, and being nosey.”

He quickly stepped back to his previous spot, turning so his shoulder shielded him away from you once more. 

You had taken a leap, hoping to help relax him, you pulled your knees up to hug, giving him even more space. “May I know your name?”

“...Juno.” 

“Wow...thats an amazing name -- like the Roman Goddess.”

His brows furrowed at you and his good hand rose a little to make an odd sign at his chin. The expression alone told what he meant.

“She was a God, you know, like the ones who look over us.” And you pointed a finger up to the sky. “She was the queen of them, married to Zeus, the king.”

That got his attention. “Am no queen, am no female.” 

You smile a little and shake your head. “No, but it is a name for anyone…it is one derived from a powerful being.” 

“Powerful.” He says, but it seemed like it was more to himself than you. 

But when you began to grin, he grimaced. 

“Don’t do that…”

“Smile?”

“Bare your teeth like that...to ape, it is not good.”

“Oh...to humans it means happiness, or agreement, good things. Bad smiles are sometimes given too.”

“...not used to human smile.”

“Ok, no problem, I’ll just...nod.” And you did so to demonstrate, keeping your lips tight.

He made a loud pant and small hoots, tilting his head up and away as his shoulders shook. Obviously he was laughing, finding you amusing. It was hard to keep from grinning once more and joining in, but you did well enough with a small face and shake of your own shoulders.

“Different.” he said breathlessly.

His hazel eyes crinkled, the brown of them glistening in the low-light emanating from the fire nearby; you would come to love that face, wanting to see it everyday to know he was happy.

“What do you mean?” You tilted your head to emphasize the question.

He never did explain further, only repeating himself in a whisper.

“Different."

That was how you met and began a shaky friendship with Juno. His fear of your kind kept you both more than an arm’s length away from getting to where you are now, but it was well worth the wait. Through all the fighting, all the drama in both your communities, an ape and a human could enjoy each other’s company without worry.

Well, worry between the both of you while both sides were still iffy on it. You can not go to his tribe who fear any humans nearing them after the last time Jess had barged in, and Juno never dares to get too close to your town, always fearing any human. Except you of course. You are the exception, because you are kind and have shown him you can be trusted. Not even after the townspeople had gifted the apes supplies to survive winter did he, or many of his people, give all their trust to the humans. Bryn took the offering, but also stayed cautious.

It was, as your friendship used to be, a shaky peace, but it worked nonetheless, helping both communities survive the cold winter and now enjoying the sunny spring.

Now, as you sat next to a nearby ravine with Juno by your side, the both of you can say it’s been easy enough living. You lay back on a spread out blanket as he stands near the water’s edge with a spear in hand, eying the fish flopping by. You hear a splash, then a small cry. 

“You okay Juno?” You tilt your torso a bit to get a better view. 

He stands looking miserable, fur matted to his skinny frame, then turns to show you his frown. “Damned fish, too slippery.” 

You grin, and he understands what you mean behind it. Your human expressions do not confuse him anymore, having learned how to read them with your help. He gives a small shake and it sends droplets your way. 

You raise an arm up to guard yourself, giggling. “Hey! I’m sitting right here!”

“It’s hot, you can use a spray.” He laughs, making his way towards you and the blanket, sitting on his knees. He shakes his good hand over you, sprinkling you further.

“Ok that's just mean!” You playfully smack his fingers away, hiding your face into the crook of your other arm.

Together you enjoy the warm day, laying together on the blanket. Days like these are the ones you savor, because deep down you fear they will abruptly come to an end. Conditioned by the apocalypse, instinctually you try to engrain as much detail you can into your memory of this moment. How the sun beams down through the branches and leaves in golden rays; the way each rush of wind brings a symphony of foliage to join with the ravine’s loud flow; how warm Juno’s fur is just an inch away, and the damp spots creating a humid air against you; but most of all, the way you both lay your heads close together, temples touching as you look up to the clouds. You’ve made a precious bond you thought would never be possible after your last, and how giddy you felt to be wrong. A little hope never hurt…

“Hey!” Someone calls your name. Quickly Juno snaps his attention to the direction, jolting out of his sunny day haze. 

Your closest hand is on him in the blink of an eye, careful with how hard it comes down on his arm nearest. You rub a soothing circle with your thumb into his skin, bringing hazel eyes to your own. You then turn to the human man coming your way.

“Hey, Joshie.” You smile, but there is little mirth behind it. You’d rather be alone with your ape friend than your human one. Joshua is nice, he likes to watch over and make sure you have what you need, but that's just it. You don’t  _ need _ or  _ want _ someone to watch over you, not like  _ he  _ does anyways. On more than one occasion he’s made you feel so small, as if you were a naive child. Grateful for his help here and there, you always ignored that small feeling, not wanting to cause problems when the colony was already so small and peaceful.

He jogs over to where you are and your hand on Juno moves to wrap around his, hooking your fingers over his palm and brushing your thumb over his calloused knuckles -- a sign you did not want him to leave. 

“I was wondering where you were! I didn’t see you at lunch.” Joshua stands at the blanket’s edge, no doubt wary of Juno. 

You’re pleased he’s a few inches away on the grass and not dirtying the blanket with his boots. It is like a small island for you, separating human from human, keeping the warm happiness you were enjoying in an invisible barricade. Juno breaks it though, rising up and slipping away to sit at the ravine’s edge with his back towards you. That is not shocking with his fear of your kind. You glance his way, watching as the ape seems to hunch over, but you are brought back to Joshua and his friendly smile.

“Yeah, I made plans with Juno to have lunch here.” You point to your backpack at one of the corners where a metal sports bottle stands and sandwich baggies peak out from the unzippered flap. It was not much compared to eating in the town’s cafeteria, but being out and away from the rabble that was Millerton felt good.

Joshua, always the protector, took notice of what little there was. “Doesn’t seem like a lot. You don’t even got a dessert.” He teases.

“Meh, who needs it -- can’t get used to luxuries out here.”

“Well, I guess you don’t want the slice of chocolate strawberry cake I stashed for you.”

Oh, that was cheating, he knew what survivors wanted, not letting you win so easily. Fruit is not hard to grow, but mixing homemade batter is. And frosting is not something you particularly know how to make. Sweets were one of the few luxuries you could not fight against, not without a solid reason. You have craved so many things since the apocalypse, cake was on top of the list. With that in mind, you hate to admit it, but you really want that slice. You’ve spent the whole day with Juno, and the sun was descending fast now, meaning soon enough you both were going to say goodbyes anyways.

“Give me a moment.” You raise a finger to the other human, then jump to your feet. Making your way to your friend you crouch beside him -- tilting your head to get a good view of his face that is staring down at the water. He once more has the spear in hand, no doubt trying to catch another fish for his small pile off to the side.

“I’m gonna head home -- do you want me to walk you first or -- ?”

“No, will be fine.” He doesn’t look at you. Even after the past few months there are things he does that you can not be certain of in a social context. This is one of them, confusing you on whether he was upset or just not interested. He honestly looks determined to catch a fish, yet…

A few silent seconds pass of which you forget Joshua is even there, before finally Juno shifts his hazel eyes to you. When you do not budge, he tilts his head too, looking you straight in the eye. “Go ahead. The sun will be up. Long enough to catch. One more fish.”

His voice is very scratchy despite using it a lot around you who knows no sign language; or more accurately now, who is still  _ new _ to the language. He teaches you as you both hangout, a lot of it is his own way too, one that is possible with mainly one hand. In return you help him learn words and how to enunciate them. Like his antsy demeanor his voice is shaky, wobbling when he speaks as if it will not settle. And like his brothers it is deep to a non-human extent. Not the kind of voice you would expect from a person like him.

With his reassurance you nod and show him your hand. When you are positive he knows it is there you lay it gently on his shoulder. Better safe than sorry with sudden touches, that way he won’t feel uncomfortable. You slide the hand to his other shoulder and bring him in for a side-hug that he leans into. The precaution may be unneeded, but he’s never told you otherwise, so you always make sure he knows it's you touching him.

With that you get up to put your stuff away with Joshua’s help. Together you roll up the blanket, and he does his best to lower his voice to speak. His “ _ best” _ , which is enough to convince you.

“Are you okay with that ape?”

“If you’re about to pull some xenophobic shit on me, I’m gonna smack you.” This would not be the first time you’ve had to listen to someone question your choice in friends. The older folk can be the worst, acting like your parent who knows better than you, but it falls on uncaring ears. You are no child and Maria has no qualms with you leaving the town to be with Juno. If anything she encourages you to, always asking what you ‘young kids’ haven been up to -- like a mother who wants to be hip with their child. You have no issue with that, happy to have someone to gush over the fun you and your friend get into.

“Well, I mean, I’m not  _ too _ worried. No doubt you can fight his scrawny ass off if needed. And with that nasty arm --”

“Joshie, shut up, Juno is the sweetest person I know.”

“I just…” And he gives a slow look over his shoulder to the ape. His eyes shift back to you. “I don’t like how close he gets to you, or how he looks at you. It’s a tad over-friendly.”

You can’t believe what he’s saying. It’s so out of the blue, yet you have a feeling he is echoing what gossip goes around the compound. Would not be the first time your friendships had been looked over in such a light, it’s why a lot of your guy friends never stayed, either ended by you or them. Even with your last best friend people were either calling you cute together. But the fact that it’s now interfering with your  _ ape _ friend? That’s the wildest gossip yet.

You should really slap him, but you don’t want to cause a scene that could end with Juno getting involved; at least the ape knew when and to what degree you were comfortable with protection.

“Like I said, shut up before I sock you. I want that cake.” You brush off his words as a joke, giving a good-natured chuckle so he doesn’t get butt-hurt.

Joshua believes it and grabs your bag for you. “Fine, fine, let’s get going before curfew hits.” 

With a quick glance at your friend, you see he has not moved from his spot. You Barely notice the spear in his hand has embedded itself deep into the water, not moving to bring up whatever he may have caught. You turn back to the path ahead and continue towards home.

The town luckily had many homes near it’s epicenter. They are old fashioned, very vintage, and scream little western home. They create a clear path for people to walk through. Starting from one end and ending on the other, the road is easy enough to follow. You live with Maria more often than not because it feels safer. Her home is one of the two-story ones with a nice garage. The latter is where she can be found most hours with the garage door open as she keeps stock of medicine or sits with a few others to have a nice drink. When you are not there, you have one of the smaller homes just two houses down. 

You end up at Maria’s after sitting with Joshua and enjoying not only some cake, but leftovers in the cafeteria. You said hello, told Maria how many fish Juno caught, and headed up to your room. After a long day all you wanted to do was change into a pair of sweats and a hoodie-sweater to relax in. It was a chilly night with a full moon, so you kept the window shut, but opened the blinds overlooking the house’s side where a large tree lay, yet did not block the view of the moon. And as much as you wanted to just lay down to drift asleep, your mind begins to wander.

Joshua’s words float around your head, making you re-evaluate certain points over the past few months -- mainly the ones with Juno in them. You want to desperately deny his claims -- the nasty gossip that surrounds your name and friendship. They are crazy accusations from people with nothing better to do in this new world but to create their own entertainment. They wouldn’t be talking that trash if there was television to watch, or  _ something _ exciting to do, because no one in their right mind would think of it: a mutant and a human…a mutant…

That’s what the apes were, mutants, forced to evolve from a serum into something they weren’t meant to be. If the world wanted stronger and smarter humans, why not make the originals be just that? Had humans offended the universe so horribly they were not deemed worthy to continue the evolution chain? 

You snort, because the thought is getting far too philosophical for comfort. You don’t care to be fair, because you would not be shocked -- you’ve seen what your people could do and it all was vile.

But your mind won’t stop comparing Joshua’s ugly words to moments you didn't realize were kept in the back of your head. All the times you were met with hazel eyes, round and intense whenever you turn to him; simple touches that had taken weeks for him to do without a word and that you now mimicked; the touches  _ you  _ began and that he now never denied, but encouraged by doing likewise in return; how he would look at you in awe as you talked, taking extra interest in the way your lips move or how your body exploded in expressive gestures. You think of his eyes, the way they shine when they fall on you, and a hot flush pours down your cheeks and spine, causing a shiver to rock your frame. It’s a recognizable expression he gives you -- it's a human one his eyes do  _ perfectly. _

You want to ignore the thoughts, the memories, what may very well be the truth as you curl up atop your blankets. Then there is a knock on the window. You jump on the spot, then turn your torso to the glass. There is silence as you hope it was just a trick of your mind, then there is another, and you see the hand isn’t human as it flashes into view and back to the side.

Rolling over to stand you peek out the window, finding Juno hugging the outside wall to one side. Grinning, you open the window and move out the way so he can clamber in -- swinging over the windowsill with one arm. A swirl of giddiness in your chest makes it impossible to stop grinning, and you bring both hands up to cover it. Have you ever had someone sneak into your bedroom before?

“Juno, what’re doing here?” You watch him stagger over to the middle of your room, face turning to look over the whole place. This is obviously his first time in a human bedroom, or house for that matter, and you know from his explanation that apes do not have the same. They have nests and huts, perhaps a few trophies on the wall from hunts, but that's it.

“Wanted to see you.... Had to see you.” 

You turn your back towards him so you could shut the window as silently as possible. “ _ Had _ to? Why? Is something wrong?”

You then lean back on the ledge. “Did something crazy happen back home? I hope it’s funny crazy.” 

Then you gasp. “Wait, fuck, this is dangerous! The townspeople aren’t gonna take kindly to an ape coming in.”

He doesn't meet your eye, only shakes his head. “No, everything is fine at home…”

“Then...what's up? You’re risking a lot sneaking over here.”

“...thinking a lot…”

“Yeah, on what?” But you have a sinking feeling what he may mean.

“On what the human male said…” And his lone hand curls into a fist. You have no doubt the other against his chest is doing the same. 

You can’t read him when his back is facing you, but you feel like you know one thing: he’s upset. Why though, you don’t connect to his bodily expression -- shoulders heightened and fur beginning to stand on end. How did he even hear what Joshua said when the two of you were whispering? Were his ears just that good?

“Listen, don’t think too much on what Joshua said.” You push away from the window with a tilt in your shoulders. With arms folded, you slowly make your way to Juno who seems to be...brooding?

“He can be such an ass about things and people. He didn’t mean anything behind it.”

Sure that he knows you are right behind him, you lay a hand on his shoulder where his curled arm presses tight to his torso. He turns his head just a smidgen and you realize his chin is tucked in. Only the corner of his eyes are seeable, but that is enough for you to understand he is taking what Joshua said to heart. Annoyingly, this is falling under the social context you have trouble understanding, because his ape nature makes you second guess what many things mean. 

You have never seen him this way, accustomed with his jumpy and boastful natures than anything else. Maybe it's because you have never seen him with other apes around, being always just the two of you. How he acts, what little things he does when you are not there, are left to his home life. And to be fair, you’ve never been around an ape this much, so your experience is solely Juno. There is a part of him you do not know about, one that has put a bit of a damper on your relationship, and you both have unconsciously ignored it.

“But...there is truth from him…”

You are silent and still, at a loss of what to do or even think. Time stands still, watching Juno turn his face completely away from you once more as in shame. 

“I have...feelings for you…”

Outside there is no rustle of the leaves and branches; what little night time commotion Millerton has to offer drowns out from your ears where a roar of an unseen ocean fills them instead. You feel like you're trapped in a dream, one where caramel is the only speed you can move or think in. 

“That’s...that’s --”

“Crazy...yes, but…” He takes a few steps forward and away, unable to be so close to you.

It’s understandable, you can put yourself in his position, confessing feelings for someone. And to think further on it, you wonder how anxious he must have felt before coming over, even after he came to the awareness of said feelings. There is so much more that comes along with this information too, factors that would have never been thought of before the virus. The most stressful part of a relationship you can think of (whether your own experience or you imagining the scenario) could be seeing someone a parent may have disliked, but this...this was something entirely new and you both knew it.

You wonder if Juno has thought similar.

“So you  _ have _ been more than friendly towards me...huh.” You nod as everything begins to connect with these revelations -- with your recent thoughts. What an absolute garbage fire Joshua has created. This wouldn’t be happening if he had just kept his damned mouth shut. That is what you would like to believe, but you do not know if these emotions were known before that afternoon. And if so, then this would have come at some point in the future, so really things had only been sped up. Would you both have been better off if things had come more slowly instead of crashing in? Maybe you would have been -- at least given more time to comprehend matters at your own pace instead of having everything spiral inside your head. 

You don’t know how much time has passed since you last spoke, but you find your eyes unfocused on the ape ahead of you. He’s taken interest in your small shelf that houses the books you’ve found on your journey through the apocalypse. In the open space between and at the edge of the shelves lay cute little toys and knick knacks you’ve accumulated as well, easy to fit within your traveling duffel whenever you continue traveling. He reaches out to brush his large fingers with their on and off dark color over each book spine. You have let him borrow two books in one of your favorite graphic novel series, and once he was finished with that you handed him the first book in a novel series you had read and very much enjoyed. You have to remember before the night is over which book he wants to take home this time. You continue to watch him, utterly lost in your thoughts.

There is something about him that draws you to him, and you take a further moment to wonder what exactly it is. Maybe his hazel eyes, filled with mischief and glee when they are steady and determined; when they fall on you, you can never stop the smile spreading over your lips. Then there is his confidence, something he has confided in you to be lacking around his brothers. They are bigger, stronger, with nothing holding them back, unlike him with his weak arm and inexperience that comes with being the youngest and weakest. You like to believe your encouragement and support has helped him in some way in his home-life, but for sure you know it helps when he is around you: boasting, hooting loudly, and teasing you without a problem these days. The latter comes with jokes, having caught you off guard when he became comfortable enough. Juno is honestly very funny in a way you have not seen in a long time, making passing comments that have you giggling or throwing your own comment so you both can laugh together. 

And the way he knows  _ when _ and  _ how  _ you like to feel safe and cared for, that is something you had taken for granted before living in Millerton. Never in a “I’m stronger than you”, “I’m more experienced than you”, a general “I’m superior” way, but a “I understand” way. He knows what it's like to be at the receiving end of it all, and knows how ugly it feels to be belittled by someone. He helps you out like he would like to be helped, which you return in equal, making the jesting not cruel, but two friends learning together and enjoying an inside joke. No one else could tease you like the way Juno does, and you stand up for him when a human jokes about him though he is not there. He’s your friend, you trust him, you know him and he knows you, far better than the people surrounding you both. Only  _ you _ can make those jokes, because there is never a doubt in either of your minds that it is mean. What you have with him is beyond the bonds being best friends...

“...I guess the feelings are mutual.” You find yourself whispering when your mind finally shuts up.

“Guess?” He pulls his hand away from the books, curling it once more into a tight fist. He turns so he is perpendicular with the shelf and you, eyeing up at you with a bowed head.

“No guessing.” He shakes his head. “No room for guesses. Too serious for that.”

“Oh...Fuck...” You know he’s right. This is no small matter, this will either break your friendship or send you both on a whole new path...together. He has come to you despite the danger surrounding it; He fought his fear of humans, infiltrating their territory just so he could admit his feelings. And the latter is just as dangerous, needing the courage to even realize them, let alone decide on confessing. 

Juno takes on that determined face, brow a straight line and eyes hard and steady on your face. He’s searching over your expression which you believe is blank -- maybe even gaping a bit as everything sends you reeling. He doesn’t look like the usual Juno you often see, instead you piece together the bits and pieces that are his older brothers in him. Bryn’s compassion, Tola’s strength, and their father’s spirit that he has told you stories about. This is not Juno who steps on rotten branches as he climbs the trees, who hides in the shadows when a strange sound echoes, who playfully wrestles you despite the strength difference. No, this is a prince in line to rule a colony, trained at a young age in the ways of leadership. He demands a definitive answer of a level-headed adult, not the irresoluteness of a lost teenager.

With that, you harden your own gaze. You tighten your lips together and nod. “I  _ do _ have feelings for you. So I guess that makes us both crazy.”

And though it is bizarre to say, especially to Juno, a heavy load lifts from your body. You realize that no breath had been released since he confessed and finally a deep exhale loosens your chest.

His face lights up, and you remember all the times you have seen that very smile. It is the very same he gave you after you first met, with the filtering moonlight from the window illuminating the green in his eyes. His hard brow softens, rising as though he did not believe you would feel the same, maybe even admit it, and he grins. Not in a simian fashion, but a  _ human _ one, all teeth and spread lips. You love it, and maybe in the future you can say the same about him if all goes well. For now though, all you know and agree on is feeling something far more than friendship, with a deep desire to be the only being in each other’s lives in this special way.

“You are crazy.” The ape says.

You breathlessly chortle. “No, you’re craz- _ ier _ .”

“You are…” He takes a moment to find the word. “Craz- _ iest. _ ”

“Nu-uh, you’re super crazier!”

“Uh…you are  _ very _ craz-i-er!” 

“Super beats very!”

“Unfair. Words are not easy for me!” He pouts childishly, back to his typical-self you will never be sick of.

Full on laughter leaves your lips, only to quickly be muffled by the slap of both hands over your mouth. Downstairs Maria is still awake, having yet to bid you goodnight, and despite her liking Juno to the point of knowing she would not mind him there, the scenario makes you wary and excited. A high school cliche where the romantic interests go against the grain and meet in secret. A Romeo and Juliet story in the most basic way to describe it, but between two adults in an apocalypse. And if Maria comes up, Juno will have to leave.

You step back towards the bed until the back of your knees hit it. Dropping down to sit on the edge, you squint your eyes in a way that beckons the ape prince closer. He takes the bait and rounds the mattress, staring at it all the while as he goes to the other side.

“Human nest?”

“Yeah, it’s my bed.” You have explained human dwellings before, but this is the first time he’s seen one. If you didn’t know better too, you’d say he was a bit flustered at the connotation behind your words.

Together you lay on your backs, staring up towards the ceiling where glow-in-the-dark star stickers laid long before the house was retaken by Maria and the colony. There is silence, giving you both time to let things settle. With little thought to it your hand reaches for Juno’s between the two of you. You feel it when his head tilts to see what you are doing, as if holding hands in this situation is odd to him. Had he not considered you’d like to begin the new additions to your new relationship? You have held hands before, usually when he helps you across dangerous terrains your human legs and feet can not handle easily. Never in this way either, far more intimate than merely wanting him to stay like earlier before Joshua intruded in your shared space. And without a doubt not by interlocking your skinny fingers between his thicker ones. You rub your smooth thumb over his calloused and coarse fingers and he lays his head back to looking up. He exhales contentedly though his nostrils.

Perhaps you  _ are _ different as he said all those months before, but whether either of you could predict the meaning behind the word, it does not matter anymore. Because you have a feeling you now understand what he had meant, and you know he too is coming to the very same conclusion. 

And as you scurry to turn off the bedroom lights and rejoin Juno by his side -- hand in hand while looking up to the dull green glow of a plastic solar system -- you know that whatever tomorrow brings, you have Juno by your side to take it head on.

**Author's Note:**

> I am looking away in obscure-character-love embarrassment.  
> In a more cannon timeline, it probably wouldn’t have been easy to get Juno to talk to you, but this is fanfiction, so stop thinking too hard lmao  
> It’s most likely just the shaders in game that are set to a high intensity probably, but the royal mountain family hands tend to look like they have coal colored fingers, so I’ve taken that in as a headcannon.  
> And finally, this is kind of an AU when Tola is still alive, but Bryn gets through to him enough and stil wins and becomes leader so they do not go to wipe out the human colony, but Tola still hates humans and would rather have nothing to do with them; that comes in perhaps if I ever do a Juno side of this story/sequel :/


End file.
